aesthetics

n. branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty

Aesthetics (also spelled esthetics) is a branch of philosophy, a species of value theory or axiology, which is the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste. Aesthetics is closely associated with the philosophy of art.
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(n.)
Alt. of Esthetics
  

Noun
1. (art) the branch of philosophy dealing with beauty and taste (emphasizing the evaluative criteria that are applied to art); "traditional aesthetics assumed the existence of universal and timeless criteria of artistic value"
(synonym) esthetics
(hypernym) philosophy
(classification) art, artistic creation, artistic production

Noun
1. (philosophy) a philosophical theory as to what is beautiful; "he despised the esthetic of minimalism"
(synonym) esthetic
(hypernym) philosophical doctrine, philosophical theory
(classification) philosophy
Adjective
1. relating to or dealing with the subject of aesthetics; "aesthetic values"
(synonym) esthetic
(pertainym) aesthetics, esthetics
2. concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste; "the aesthetic faculties"; "an aesthetic person"; "aesthetic feeling"; "the illustrations made the book an aesthetic success"
(synonym) esthetic, aesthetical, esthetical
(antonym) inaesthetic, unaesthetic
(similar) artistic
3. aesthetically pleasing; "an artistic flower arrangement"
(synonym) esthetic, artistic, pleasing
(similar) tasteful, in good taste(p)